Tuesday, August 20, 2013

For the past several weeks, I've been working on more greeting cards to sell at craft shows this coming holiday season. I also signed up to sell my greeting cards at a brand new on-line store. They are similar to Etsy. If you've tried to sell on Etsy, you know how difficult it can be as there are now so many members. Feel free to give the new store a look: http://ididitcreations.com/showroom/ You can find my cards by looking under my company name or "Greeting Cards" category. The store is not really open yet; grand opening is expected to be in September. I have some cards listed and strive to have at least 50 cards listed before opening. But take a look and see what you need to buy for gifts this year!

I love the way this Black Grizzly came out. He is done in Black Matte embossing paste and the background was dry embossed with a touch of color pencil. Bear piece is edged with Peeled Paint Tim Holtz distressed ink on Pine Tree paper. Added a frayed twine as a finishing touch.

You know, I really hate it when you are putting the paper on base card stock, and the paper slips at the last second! The pine tree paper is too thin to try and take it up to realign the paper, so a tad bit of white card stock base is showing at the lower left. Do you think the card will still sell?

This is my first card for the upcoming Holiday season. I originally did this design on white card stock. After it had dried, and I went to create a card, it hit me like a ton of bricks -- Why did I put a white design on white card stock?! Sheesh! Yes, people, I am human. So I redid the design on black -- Smashing, isn't it! This Winter Covered Bridge is done in White embossing paste on black stock paper. With the paste still wet, I sprinkled green and white glitter. Background paper is from Visions of Christmas paper pack by K & Company. Finishing touches were the silver Snowflake ribbon and the two blue and white Snowflake brads.

I love a good Dove greeting card. They can be used for the Holidays, a Sympathy card, or even an Anniversary card. This Dove was done in Silver embossing paste with a touch of green glitter (by Scrapbook Shimmer) on the Olive branch; all on dark blue stock paper. Background pink paper is from The Luxury Stack by DCWV. A white paper doily between the blue and pink papers. Lilac, Lime and Eggshell paper Roses by My Moments, 3 stock buttons and a Silver Ribbon by Ribbon Bowtique complete this card.

I needed a special card for a friend's brother's 40th birthday. Since he loves Dalmations, this was my choice. The Dalmation is done in Black embossing paste, edged with Lipstick Red color box cat's eye ink. The background papers are Fire Hydrant (by Boxer Scrapbook) and Woof & Dog. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up's Sincere Salutations set done in Crystal Turquoise ink. Now I need to get it off into the mail....

I have another batch of greeting cards on my work table that I am doing in gold leafing, so be sure to come back and see those. Have a good week!

Monday, August 19, 2013

Some of you know I do cross stitch embroidery as one of my hobbies. I stitch small cross stitch designs and turn them into greeting cards. Here are my latest counted cross stitch cards:

Front cover Inside front cover...

The front cover is a vellum with Light Pink Baby Footprints. The baby footprints rubber sticks by Judith were stamped using Forest Green staz-on ink.

In the second photo above, notice the yellow and purple Diaper Pin brads on Soft Speckle paper. The Baby purple rub-on is from Creative Imaginations.

Cross Stitch design inside of card....

Close-up of the cross stitch design....

I like to use beads to enhance my stitchery; these are Mill Hill Petite glass beads (#40553) tied on using DMC peach varigated floss (#4110). The "It's A Girl" is stitched in DMC Jewel Effects pink metallic thread (#E316) and the rest of the design is stitched with DMC cotton floss. The outline of the bear and blanket is stitched with DMC black metallic (twine-type) floss (#E310), a bit different than what I'm used to. This Baby card was given to my veterinarian who had her baby in early July.

My personal physician had a baby girl in mid-July, and this is her baby card. Card stock is Happy embossed card from DCWV. Baby paper is under the cross stitch design. The two Diaper Pin brads are just perfect! I put two flower parts together, added a Rhinestone from Marcella by K, and a cute little flower is added.

For some reason I thought one of the doctors was having a boy. Since they both had girls, I now have a Boy baby card and no one to give it to. So, I will add it to my craft show stock to sell. He is stitched with DMC cotton floss with dark grey metallic thread to stitch the outline and sentiment. It's a Boy paper is by HOTP (#20017) and the darker paper is from The Immortal Love matstack by DCWV. Added a blue Diaper Pin brad. I love the Lego Block and Train brads on this card.

A co-worker of my husband's is just as crazy as I am about "The Lion King," so I made this greeting card for her. These Meerkats fit on a smaller card (4¼ X 5½" instead of my usual 5 X 6½"). Again, I used DMC cotton floss to stitch them and DMC dark grey metallic floss for the outline. They are set on Animal paper from the Safari paper pak by the Paper Studio. The Gold Glitter card stock is from DCWV. I added Pumbaa and Simba dimensional stickers from EK as a finishing touch.

Over the next several days, I will post photos of cards I have been working on the past couple of weeks. Come back and see what I've made!